Woman Poem By Alice Walker

'Women' by Alice Walker is a short gratuitous-poesy poem telling of the fight women put up then girls could take access to education. The verse form lauds specifically African American women who were slaves in America. Using war machine diction and imagery, Walker describes how these women'southward resilience and sacrifice enabled them to achieve their goal. With 'Women,' the poet promotes womanism, a form of feminism recognizing and appreciating the struggles of black women.

Summary

'Women' past Alice Walker praises women of the by who fought for and secured the daughter child's right to teaching.

The verse form begins with Walker's persona introducing her field of study thing—women of the preceding generation—on a reverent note. The first eighteen lines of 'Women' employ imagery mostly associated with men to characterize these women. They are aggressive, courageous, and tenacious as they face up down obstacles stated with implied metaphors. Subsequent lines reveal what they fight for: their female person children's rights to education. This highlights the motherly love and wisdom behind the resilience of the women in Walker's poem. Throughout 'Women,' the persona's beholden tone doesn't change as she speaks of them.

You can read the full poem hither.

Detailed Analysis

Lines 1-two

They were women and so

My mama'southward generation

'Women' opens with a reverent tone like to the ones used to narrate biblical stories (for instance, John i:ane which says, "In the offset was the world…"). This hints at the speaker's admiration of her subject: women of her mother's generation. With the second line, it is easy to deduce Walker'southward inspiration for the poem: her own mother.

Lines iii-half-dozen

Croaking of voice—stout of

(…)

With fists as well every bit

Easily

These lines use audio and visual imagery to depict the aforementioned women. They were "husky of voice" and "stout of/Step", showing they had deep rough voices and long strides. By giving them these qualities, Walker topples the stereotype of women looking svelte and gentle. She gives them attributes usually associated with men to show these women besides had potency in their vocalization, aggression in their "fists" and determination in their gait. With these lines, Walker lauds women in an unhackneyed way.

However, the gentle streak common amidst them doesn't disappear. In line 6, the persona contrasts "fists" with "hands" to reveal her subject's soft side.

Lines 7-18

How they battered downwardly

Doors

(…)

Booby-trapped

Ditches

These lines heavily utilise imagery and metaphor to bear witness how these women fight for their cause. The speaker says "they battered downwardly/Doors", highlighting obstacles these women battled and overcame. She speedily contrasts this action with "And ironed/Starched white/Shirts". The latter action is interpreted in two means: a mother caring for her household and a slave working. In either case, information technology portrays the dual nature of these women, who fight like "generals" while performing menial tasks. With bright imagery, subsequent lines echo the dangers on the battlefield: "mined/Fields" and "Booby-trapped/Ditches". As line fourteen confirms these women as African Americans, the implied metaphors betwixt lines 15-18 may refer to racism, slavery, and misogyny. Walking through all this emphasizes their resilience and justifies the appreciative tone in which the persona still speaks of them.

Lines 19-21

To discover books

Desks

A place for united states

The climax of 'Women' unfolds here. Lines 19-21 reveal the noble cause these women fight for: instruction for their girls, something they never had. "Books" and "Desks" symbolize didactics; "united states of america" refers to today'due south women, including the speaker herself. These lines underscore motherly love and hope as the foundation of 'Women' and why girls today can admission instruction. It is the consequence of the brave fight these women put up.

Lines 22-26

How they knew what

we

Must know

Without knowing a page

Of it

Themselves.

The final lines of Walker'southward verse form reveal the wisdom and foresight of the previous generation. Past repeating the verb course, "know", the speaker stresses the importance of their foresight and why nosotros in the nowadays must not let the upshot of that—the right to educational activity—go to waste matter. Without a drift in the tone of the awestruck speaker, 'Women' wraps up with its starting time and last total finish.

Construction and Form

'Women' is a one-stanza poem of xx-six lines. The outset eighteen lines draw the subject field of the verse form and the actions they accept to reach their goal. The last 8 lines reveal that goal. The poem is free-verse, having no regular rhyme scheme or meter. Courtesy of enjambment, "Women" as well appears fragmented. Each line contains no more than than six syllables and the verse form as a whole is punctuated only in one case, with a terminal total stop.

Themes

The themes in Walker's poem include the strength, bravery, and tenacity of women to fight for their children's rights, the motherly love, sacrifice, and hope fuelling their fight, and the wisdom women of the by had to foresee the girl kid'south need for education.

Literary Devices

Innuendo: The entire poem is a reference to the African American women of the by. As slaves, they were denied their education. However, they fought so their children could have such rights in the future. The poem lauds these women for their brave fight and noble mission.
Metaphor: Walker uses implied metaphors throughout the poem. In line 5, she mentions "fists" to show the aggression of women in her poem. Still, she contrasts this trait with "hands" in line 6, to represent gentleness. Lines 7-xviii are also use unsaid metaphors. Walker compares the actions of her subject to that of generals on the battleground. By mentioning "mined/Fields" and "Booby-trapped/ditches", Walker highlights the dangers involved in this fight for women's rights. The obstacles are "doors" which they "battered down".
Imagery: Sensory imagery is a prevalent literary device in 'Women'. Between lines three-6 and 7-18, Walker'southward diction creates a clear flick of her discipline. There's sound imagery in line 3 ("Croaking of voice") and visual imagery in line 4 ("stout of/Step"). The speaker also paints a vivid picture show of a battlefield, relating information technology to the women's deportment.
Repetition: Between lines 22-24, the persona repeats the verb form, "know", to emphasize the importance of girl child education.
Enjambment: This runs throughout the verse form, creating a pause-and-remember issue with each line.

FAQs

Why is the metaphor in 'Women' implied?

Implied metaphors compare ii things without explicitly mentioning one of them. In 'Women', Walker compares the struggle to secure one'south right to education to walking through booby-trapped ditches and mined fields without explicitly stating the old. In this light, the metaphor is implied.

Who is the speaker in 'Women?'

The speaker or persona in the poem is an African American woman, similar Alice Walker. She recognizes and appreciates the efforts of her mother'due south generation to ensure she received an education.

Who is the muse behind 'Women?'

The muse behind 'Women' is Alice Walker's female parent. Like the women in Walker's poem, she was an African American and a maid who saw the need for Walker to exist educated. This story and Walker's admiration for her own mum formed the backbone of this piece.

Can 'Women' exist seen every bit an ode?

An ode is a poem that praises an event, individual, or affair; past purpose alone, 'Women' may be seen equally an ode. Yet, odes—even more relaxed modern ones—follow varying formats, rhyme schemes, and metrical patterns, whereas 'Women' is written in gratis-verse. On that notation, the poem cannot be seen every bit an ode.

Tin 'Women' be seen as a eulogy?

A eulogy is whatsoever piece of writing praising a person or people. 'Women' is a verse form praising women of the past. In this calorie-free, Women can exist seen as a eulogy.

Similar Verse

Other poems sharing similar themes with 'Women' include:

'Lineage' by Margaret Walker: a poem describing the forcefulness of enslaved females and how they suffered for that strength.
'When You Idea Me Poor' by Alice Walker: a idea-provoking verse form commenting on an unequal society.
'Be Nobody's Darling' past Alice Walker: a poem supporting people's individuality and uniqueness.

Anastasia Ifinedo

Anastasia Ifinedo is an officially published poet. You can notice her poems in the anthologies, "Mrs Latimer Had A Fat Cat" by Cozy True cat Press and "The Petty is Much" by Earnest Writes Community, among others. A former poet for the Invincible Quill Magazine and a reviewer of poems on several writing platforms, she has helped—and continues to help—many poets similar her hone their arts and crafts.